Golfer is having a ball in Dallas. Women in Dallas dressed to the nine to go to golf tourneys, skinpie short skirts, high heels … there were even groupies hanging around at trendy hotel W when he checked in. Of course he said he didn’t …. but his colleagues did, :))). The dinner party was great, with few hedgies, and they’re heading out again. Tomorrow he’ll try to fit in a 9-hole, then the tourney then his particular client for dinner. There are only golfer geeks in the Northeast, he complains, lol …
Archive for Sports
Slowpoke in skirt
Slowpoke came home with her lacrosse uniform, top and skirt, in blue … I need to sneak a pic for the record.
The Professional
At one time, we had more than 20 people showed up on the same night for badminton. But lately, there were few nights hardly anyone showed up … so I generously labeled myself as the professional, lol. Last Wednesday there were only Mike, Simon and I. Today we had exactly a foursome: Mike, Sunny Simon and I. During the warm up, I used my left hand, cause too much pain with my right. “Of course it’s painful, we use our right hand/arm every day …” Simon said, referring to our almost daily play either tennis or badminton. I need to head to the pool more often, lol. We played 3 sets and Simon and I won all 3, especially very decisively for the 2nd set: 15:1. I think the pain just vanished, :).
Runner Zhou powers to victory in London
Wow, Zhou Chunxiu won the London Marathon this past Sunday. It’s usually dominated by Kenyans. She looked well-built, and hoping to improve her timing, guess for the 2008!
The Poacher
Martin came to teach at the Parkwood Sports Center due to an emergency few weeks ago and know on the staff regularly. He teaches at the the court next to me. After today’s the lesson, he came over asking me if I know Justin’s dad.
“Who?”
He explained Justin’s Sharon’s kid bro. Sharon is close friend of Pumpkin and an excellent tennis player. I thought their dad is at the center all the time .. well, but today.
“I’d like to coach him. He wants to make the team. It only takes a summer. .. Justin’s uncle is here.” He said.
Then ask Justin’ dad next week. I suggested.
“I won’t be here next week.” He replied.
Seriously, I don’t have Sharon’s number and felt it’s bit blatantly inappropriate, let alone poached it openly. While I was sitting at the Craig’s court watching, Martin came in, sat down and chatted loudly. Given the fact the two coaches don’t really know each other.
In contrast, Craig had his left thumb and index finger banded together, “I sprained it playing baseball this morning … picking up the ball is hurtful …” but he managed to teach, at least 3 solid lessons. During our lesson, when there were 10 minutes left, we told him that we’ll play doubles, trying to relief him: we love a solid lesson, but we also very appreciative of a good coach with great work ethic.
Brotherly love
Craig is kind of coach who takes his coaching rather seriously: 15 minutes into the 1-hr lesson, two brothers showed up (the coach/student ratio is 1:4).
“How nice to see you after 2 months! Or was it 3 months?” Craig exclaimed.
The taller one couldn’t be more than 10 years old, and both of them are demanding and vocal, dressed with oversized t-shirts and long pants. Oddly, they both have the figure as a bit of out of shape 50-year old. The younger one said he didn’t like his racket and wanted to use Craig’s.
He got his wish.
When the kid complained again, Craig told him …
“It’s not the racket, it’s the hand holding it…” – We teased Waldo all the time that he should buy a left hand racket, lol or better yet, buy a game 🙂 … –
The older one complained that he can’t hit back hand.
“Well, then you should have come often, so I can teach you.” Craig told him. The brothers can’t play. But apparently Craig took it perhaps as an insult that his students didn’t come.
Many coaches would have been happy or careless that 2 of his lousy students absent for a long period of time. As soon as they walked in, Craig whispered to me ..
“You’ll enjoy this…”
I did.
The brothers appear to be brat, but they were really sweet to each other. The younger one fall, and the older one picked him up and dusted him off. They each told Pumpkin when one of them is teamed up with her ‘to hit the ball to his bro …” I cheered for all of them.
When it was 4:4 and the bros were in the same team, they would each shout to other,
‘Are we losing?’
“4:4” .. Craig repeated.
“Are we losing?” they shouted again.
Another kid AJ said across the court,
“It’s 4:4”
“So we’re winning then?” The older bro insisted ..
LOL …
I love tennis
Slowpoke took her first lesson with Kerner and enjoyed it. Kerner is a slim man with only-god-knows age, has husky voice: don’t know it’s his natural or teaching (yelling) too much. After all, the court is huge and you are not likely to be there alone. He gave her an evaluation, by the time they got to her bank hand valley, he said, “well, if you’re strong enough, you can consider using single hand back hand valley …” She just did that, with a gracious slice. I was floored: it’s beautiful, almost picture perfect. Ok, textbook perfect, to be political correct. Where on earth did you learn that I asked. “Watching TV …” ??? “Since when you actually watch tennis on TV? You only watch Will & Grace … ” I floored once more: I watch the Opens every year and picked up nothing, :-(. During one of the coachings at the net, Kerner asked what’s her most favored sport? She didn’t reply immediately, as usual. Kerner said, “I teach tennis, but my favor sport is soccer …” Perhaps thinking between starvation or a delicious dinner … you know that’s how I treat my kids… :), she surprised me by saying, ‘tennis’. Do you really, really? I nearly tossed her into the air … well, that’s untrue, but you can use your imagination. After the lesson, she whispered, “I like Kerner, he’s strict yet humorous.” Should I press her for saying like tennis the most among swimming, skiing and lacrosse…?
Everyday partner
Sunny called in the morning to play tomorrow @ 7am. Gosh, I haven’t played with him for so long. Last night I played with the Friday night group, Simon showed up after few hours with the 4.0s in the park, drinking a bud. I end up playing with Simon almost every day except on Mondays: Tu/Wed we play badiminton, Thur night is the 4.0 in town and Fri is the group that he some time does sub, and Sat/Sun we usually play at SAndy‘s. Playing at SAndy’s is nice, they’re very hospitable, but they don’t start till 10am or so, that’s when I already done mine with Sunny n company, lol. Michael called later to see I’ll play, he’s Jet n David the green. “Sorry, I said ok to Sunny.” Then I said, “I might end up playing with you anyway. You know he’ll dump me when he sees a better partner, lol .. ” Actually it’s pretty close to the fact, :-(, lol …
No jumping
I had my make up lesson today with a fill-in coach. He’s the first one ever to tell me, “don’t jump” on serving. Geeeee, serve comes very nature to me too, it’s like part of me, lol … No jumping? I felt odd. One of the girls checked me out, asking where and when do I play and said since I’m having another 2 more classes with her, she’ll get my number next time. I may not have enough time to play with her, lol. After dinner, I played few sets of badminton, one was love game! Yeeeeeppppi!
I want more discipline
We woke up to a sunny day. Since Slowpoke n her g/fs decided not to attend the service (of a Bat Mitzvah), so she’s free till 6pm. “How about some tennis?” Sure. Should I call Katie? K is taking her lesson with Martin at 1:30. No, mom, I want to play with you. How flattering! Slowpoke kept up with me, moving me from left to the right; and she knew she was often late for her forehand. I told her to keep a plan in mind, not just moving me, but make it point of moving me to the side she actually intended. She’s hitting really well.
When we begin to play a game, that’s when she showed her frustration: her serve was inadequate. After only two games, she said she’d like to practice serving. By the time she finished a basket (of balls), Kerner’s lesson was over, and as usual, he came over to give Slowpoke some advice. Her grip is all wrong, he said … It brought back some early memory of myself when I started learning to serve. For the first few lessons on serving, I felt totally out of control. But after used to the motion, I was ok with it. After Kerner left for his next lesson, to my surprise, Slowpoke said she’d like to take lesson from him, “I want more discipline.” I felt my jaw was dropping. So she’s serious, or at least she knows what she needs to do to improve. I had wanted her to try Craig too, but never connected with him. I think different coaches would give you some insight that others won’t, and I told her about this.
Martin once said that when he was a kid, he played with Kerner who’s already coaching. But looking at Kerner, I’d guess him as 30ish – Martin laughed, ‘no way … black men don’t age.’ Kerner has a 20 years old daughter who plays tennis. So much for my guessing, lol. Kerner has concession of this local park and he keeps it pretty neat. I didn’t start playing there again till last year with Andy, Alex, etc. The park has a decent size pool and a picnic area. It used to be empty. Last year I realized every weekends the park were packed, which is very annoying and noisy, plus the fumes, and we weren’t invited to the party to boot, lol. Thank god Kerner is around, provides a little authority figure in an otherwise deserted park. He’s always been nice to us, making small chat and giving short brief coaching. But back then the kids didn’t seem to take to him as they took to Martin. Now that Slowpoke asked for Kerner (instead Martin), I am very happy to oblige, in a way I could reciprocate Kerner’s kindness or good salesmanship.
